The Multipurpose Center replaces Daniel Gymnasium, which opened in 1966 with seating for 3,200.

Daniel Gymnasium will be remembered most of all as the cozy home of the Trojans for a half century. It also was used for Virginia Interscholastic Association (VIA), Central Region and Virginia Independent Schools (VIS) tournaments and was home court for Petersburg’s Moses Malone during his junior and senior years.

In 1971, an unheralded rookie, Julius Erving, made his professional debut at Daniel Gymnasium as a member of the Virginia Squires. On a night older fans will long remember, “Dr. J” outshined the Kentucky Colonels’ Artis Gilmore in an ABA exhibition game.

Erving went on to an NBA Hall of Fame career, and it all started at Daniel Gymnasium.